Education Programs
Education with Purpose
WHI's educational initiative began with Mary Choi Kelly's comprehensive interviews with nearly two dozen leading female chefs, aiming to craft a success profile that outlines the recipe for female leadership in the hospitality industry.
This exploration unveiled key themes and traits essential for the accelerated growth and development of female leaders. These insights form the backbone of our university-level, for-credit course: "From the Classroom to the Boardroom: Leadership for Women in Hospitality."
Building on the university level courses success within four university's nationwide, WHI's founders sought to extend their impact to the high school level, aiming to inspire students early on about achieving their career goals in hospitality. This led to a partnership with the Nevada Restaurant Association, launching a Speakers Series Program within the ProStart High School Program, furthering our commitment to education and awareness in the hospitality sector.
The course delves into several critical topics, including:
The business case for women in leadership
Defining your personal leadership brand
The importance of continuous improvement
Leveraging social media to build a business
Understanding team dynamics and effectively transitioning from Peer to Leader
Understanding unconscious bias and EQ
Building relationships, networks and allies
Redefining the kitchen culture
Navigating politics and power dynamics
Developing a career in hospitality
From the Classroom to Boardroom: Leadership for Women in Hospitality
A university level, for-credit course developed with the Women’s Hospitality Initiative that equips aspiring women leaders with the skills, insights, and industry knowledge needed to advance their careers in hospitality. This course is currently offered at Culinary Institute of America, University of Nevada Las Vegas, and Florida International University.
ProStart
Prostart is nationally recognized high school program by National Restaurant Association that prepares the next generation of hospitality leaders through culinary, restaurant management, hands-on learning, mentorship, and industry experiences. WHI partners with Nevada Restaurant Association to coordinate monthly mentor sessions throughout the school year.
Hear from our Virtual Mentors
The Entrepreneurial Mindset:
From Idea to Execution
Industry leaders Elizabeth Blau and Amanda Signorelli share the strategies, lessons, and experiences behind building successful hospitality businesses.
Rewiring Burnout into Brilliance
Wellness expert Sepi Eivazi shares practical breathwork, somatic techniques, and resilience strategies to help hospitality professionals manage stress and thrive.
Leadership in the Age of AI: Building Equitable Teams that Thrive
Mary Choi Kelly and Kristen Corral explore how AI and authentic leadership can help entrepreneurs grow their business while strengthening customer connections.
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Redefining Power: From Influence to Impact
Mary Kelly and Jennifer Azzi, President & Executive Director of the IXs Foundation invited our community for an insightful conversation on Redefining Power: From Influence to Impact.
Hear from our ProStart Speakers
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The two-day leadership conference was designed to cultivate togetherness, initiate conversation, inspire growth, and educate. We are happy to share recordings of our keynote speakers, panel discussions, and closing session to extend the experience beyond the conference and make these valuable insights accessible to our broader community.
Stay connected
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